Krymsk flood case hearing due on May 15

During the Krymsk flood on July 6-7, 2012, 153 people died, two went missing, and five local residents were seriously injured

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KRASNODAR, May 7 (Itar-Tass) - The next hearing of the case over the July 6 flood in the Krymsk district, Krasnodar Territory, which claimed 153 lives, is due on May 15, the Abinsky district court announced Tuesday.

"Today's hearing was preliminary," presiding judge Vladimir Makarenko said. All the parties participating in the hearing discussed the upcoming procedures and the admissibility and sufficiency of evidence. A majority of the defendants asked the court to hear the case under special procedure, but their request was denied.

The hearing took place in the building of the Krymsk district court. Eight judges are not reviewing the case, as the prosecutor for the state recused them on April 9. One of the judges, who is the spouse of defendant Vladimir Ulanovsky, withdrew from case review of her own accord.

Head of the Krymsky district municipality Vasily Krutko, head of Krymsky urban area Vladimir Ulanovsky, head of the Nizhnebakansky settlement Irina Ryabchenko and acting head of the emergencies and civil defense department of the Krymsky district Viktor Zhdanov are among the accused.

Krutko, Ulanovsky and Ryabchenko are accused of forgery in office /Article 292, Part 2/ and negligence /Article 293,Part 3/, and Zhdanov is accused of negligence and attempted fraud /Article 293, Part 3, Article 30, Part 3 and Article 159.2, Part 3/.

The criminal case comprises over 200 volumes. More than 400 expert examinations were carried out, and 1,300 witnesses and injured parties were questioned.

On March 29, a court extended custody of Vasily Krutko and Viktor Zhdanov to October 8, 2013. The measure of restraint for former Krymsk mayor Vladimir Ulanovsky was changed to house arrest as his health deteriorated. Irina Ryabchenko is also under house arrest.

On Monday, reports said Deputy Prosecutor General Sergei Vorobyov endorsed the indictment against head of the Prigorodny settlement Nadezhda Kurochkina, accused of the commission of crimes covered by Article 293, Part 2 /negligence/ and Article 292, Part 2 /forgery in office/, the Prosecutor General's Office said.

The investigator said the official, after receiving a storm warning message on July 5 and 6, failed to take measures to properly respond to the emergency and warn the population.

After heavy rain overnight to July and ensuing flood, where the village of Armyansky was inundated, the official stayed at home, and did not arrive to the flood-hit village in time. She did not announce emergency or used the available resources for warning and rescue, which resulted in manslaughter.

"To conceal her negligence, Kurochkina ordered her subordinate to draw documents giving inauthentic information on her timely actions, including population warning and rescue. Subsequently, the documents were shown to Kurochkina's superiors and law-enforcement bodies," prosecutors said.

Kurochkina has been on recognizance.

During the Krymsk flood on July 6-7, 2012, 153 people died, two went missing, and five local residents were seriously injured.